What does it cost to install teak decking on a boat?

Allow roughly £25,000 to £45,000 for a professionally fitted replacement teak deck on a 40 to 42ft yacht; extensive repairs or intricate joinery can push the bill higher. A small cockpit or bathing platform costs much less, but the price depends on the measured area, stripping the old covering and making the deck underneath sound.

Check the deck underneath

Check the substrate before choosing timber or comparing square-metre prices. Wet core, loose laminate and leaking fastenings can turn a covering job into structural work. On older yachts, particularly those with screw-fastened teak, inspect around stanchion bases, chainplates, deck fills and failed screw plugs.

A moisture survey helps identify suspect areas, although readings through teak need careful interpretation. Where there is reason to investigate, agree local opening-up with the yard before accepting a fixed repair allowance.

Establish whether the deck needs replacing. Loose caulking and isolated detached planks may be repairable if enough timber remains. Widespread thin wood, exposed fastenings and leaking plugs point towards replacement. Measure the remaining thickness at accessible edges rather than judging it by colour.

What the quotation includes

For an initial estimate, allow approximately £1,000 to £1,800 per square metre for a complete professional replacement on a sound deck, including ordinary removal and preparation. This is a planning allowance, not a tariff. Small, intricate areas can cost more per square metre, while straightforward new installations avoid much of the stripping work.

At those rates, 25 square metres of covering would cost £25,000 to £45,000. Length alone is a poor guide: coachroof coverage, cockpit layout and side-deck width vary considerably.

Ask every yard to itemise:

• Removal: old teak, adhesive, screws and waste disposal.
• Deck preparation: filling fastening holes, fairing and repairing laminate or core.
• New decking: timber specification, finished thickness, margins, king planks, adhesive and caulking.
• Fittings: removing, rebedding and refitting tracks, cleats, stanchions and other obstructions.
• Yard charges: lifting, storage, covered working space, transport and any necessary mast handling.
• Tax: whether VAT is included.

Older examples give some context. A Hallberg-Rassy 42 F received a replacement quotation of roughly €20,000 in Sweden in 2017, including dismasting and hardware removal. Another Swedish replacement cost approximately €25,000 in 2016. These are dated reference points, not present-day offers.